Luka Doncic returned to the American Airlines Center on Saturday night as the Los Angeles Lakers took on his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. This time, Doncic walked in wearing purple and gold, and he walked out with a 116–110 victory. With the win, Luka improved to 4–0 against Dallas since the blockbuster trade.
Despite the competitive edge, the moment carried emotional weight for Doncic. Facing the franchise where he built his NBA identity, the homecoming stirred familiar feelings. After the game, Luka spoke openly about what Dallas still means to him.
“Like I always say this is a special place for me,” Luka said. “It’s like when I went from Slovenia to Madrid you know left my house every time I came back I was happy. So always a special place for me.”
The Mavs traded Luka without any prior notice in exchange for Anthony Davis. The trade remains one of the most shocking trades of recent history. Since then, the Mavs also fired their GM Nico Harrison, who was the architect of the trade.
However, Luka’s emotional complexity briefly surfaced on Saturday when Doncic instinctively headed toward the Mavericks’ locker room at halftime. Still, Luka made it clear he has moved forward and he let his performance do the talking.
Doncic finished the night with 33 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists. In the process, he became the second-fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,500 made three-pointers, trailing only Stephen Curry.
LeBron James Declares the Lakers Are Luka Doncic’s Team
Since arriving in Los Angeles, Luka Doncic has been embraced by the city, the fans, and his new teammates. Following Saturday’s win, LeBron James went a step further by publicly stating that the Lakers now belong to Doncic.
“A new level to his game, I think the most important is just his comfort,” LeBron said. “Obviously, when you get traded midseason, and him spending his first 7 or 8 years here. Obviously, it was shock to everybody. Everybody that was involved, everybody that wasn’t involved in this whole sports world.
“Obviously him and the guys that was involved in the trade, but I think the biggest thing this year it’s just more comfortable. Understanding the system, understanding the city, the city embracing him. Understanding that this is his team.”
With the Lakers, Doncic’s elite production has carried over into his second season with the franchise. On Saturday, he extended an incredible run by recording at least 30 points, eight assists, and one steal in six straight road games. It marked the longest such streak by any player in NBA history.
